Historic Neighborhood Resources

Do you live in an older or historic neighborhood? Are you concerned about a historic property in your community? The resources below provide guidance on neighborhood-level preservation tools, such as architectural conservation districts and the process and benefits of establishing local landmarks and National Register of Historic Places listings.

Architectural Conservation Districts

Historic Columbia supports City of Columbia-established architectural conservation districts because we know the value—cultural and financial—of preserving the historic character of residential neighborhoods and commercial districts. Please note that the City of Columbia's Design/Development Review Commission (DDRC)—a volunteer, City-of-Columbia entity made up of architects, urban planners, and citizens who view stewardship of the capital city as a privilege—has decision-making authority on architectural conservation, protection area, and community character districts.

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Historic District and Historic Landmark Designation and Listing in the National Register

Historic Columbia often advises neighborhood associations and private property owners in their quest to establish historic districts, nominate properties as local historic landmarks or to have properties recognized by the Department of the Interior through listing in the National Register of Historic Places.

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Historic Designations

The City of Columbia’s first local historic districts were established in 1964. Columbia’s Historic Preservation and Architectural Review Ordinance is the framework that supports local historic districts and individual landmarks. This legislation specifically outlines provisions related to historic designation, design review, and demolition review. The functions are managed by the City of Columbia Planning Department, its Design/Development Review Commission (D/DRC) and Columbia City Council. For more information, consult this FAQ Guide.

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